Women’s lacrosse: Comets end season with 20-11 loss to Calvin in 2015 MIAA Tournament

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Olivet College women's lacrosse team closed the curtain on the most successful season in school history with a 20-11 loss to Calvin College tonight in the semifinals of the 2015 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament at Zuidema Field in Grand Rapids.

After senior Mackenzie Inman scored off a feed from senior Geri Merrell for the first goal of the game, the Knights scored five straight goals to take a 5-1 lead at the 20:03 mark of the opening half. Merrell scored off a pass from senior Brittany Hayes for a 5-2 score. The Knights ended the half on an 8-0 run to go up 13-2 at intermission.

Inman netted four goals, including three free-position shots, and Emma Hall scored a goal for Calvin in the first 11 minutes and one second of the second half to make the score, 14-6. The Comets scored three of the next four goals to trail by only six, 15-9, with 13:23 left in the game. The Knights went back up by nine, 18-9, with three consecutive goals. The teams exchanged the final four goals of the game for the final nine-goal margin.

Inman finished the game with a team-leading five goals. Merrell had three goals and an assist for four points. Senior Taylor Guarnaccia added two goals while winning a game-high 10 draw controls. Hayes had a goal and an assist for two points.

Sophomore Xavier Vance and junior Hailey Bond split time in goal. Vance played 40 minutes and 36 seconds, allowing 16 goals on 24 shots, while making eight saves. Bond gave up four goals in 19 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Comets end the 2015 season with a 9-7 overall record, with the nine wins being the most in school history. In addition, Olivet broke single-season records for goals (182), assists (36), points (218), draw controls (229) and ground balls (313).

Individually, Merrell broke the single-season record with 50 goals and 60 points. Inman set a single-season mark with 12 assists. Guarnaccia is the new single-season record-holder with 98 draw controls.